Pittsburgh, Pa. – Pitt scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn an 8-7 walk-off win over the Youngstown State baseball team on Wednesday afternoon at Charles L. Cost Field.
The Penguins, who finished the contest with season highs of 11 hits and four home runs, jumped in front 2-0 after back-to-back solo blasts in the top of the first inning from Nathan Beckley and Brayden Kuriger. The Panthers scored the next three runs to take a 3-2 edge before the Guins regained a 4-3 advantage with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning.
Pitt answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth to move in front 5-4 before Ryan Schummer's first home run as a Penguin in the top of the eighth evened the score at five runs apiece. The Panthers pushed across two runs in the home half of the eighth to move ahead 6-5, but Alex Jang lifted the Penguins back into the lead with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth.
Lorenzo Carrier was hit by a pitch and Kai Wagner singled to begin the bottom of the ninth. Carrier and Wagner were each able to race home following a throwing error on Joey Baran's well-placed bunt single down the third base line to give Pitt the walk-off victory.
The Panthers improved to 17-6 overall for the season with their win on Wednesday while the Penguins dropped to 3-19.
Beckley went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs, Misael Uriepero recorded a career-high three hits and scored two runs, and Jang added two hits including a two-run home run in the ninth inning.
Brevin Smith allowed three runs on five hits over three innings on the mound in his first start as a Penguin. Sumner Estes worked 1.1 scoreless innings as the first of five YSU relievers to appear in the contest. Kale Wemer surrendered two runs in 1.1 innings while Banks Cox tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in his first appearance as a Penguin. Aidan English was responsible for one run while recording one out in the eighth, and Tyler Heflin took the loss after allowing Pitt's two runs in the ninth.
The Panthers matched the Penguins with 11 hits and four home runs. Five different players in Pitt's lineup posted multiple hits.
Pitt starter Freddy Beruvides Jr. allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts over 3.1 innings in a no-decision. Mikey Gray, the last of four relievers to appear for the Panthers, earned the win after coming on to record the final two outs in the top of the ninth.
Youngstown State will return to Horizon League play on Friday as it begins a three-game series at Northern Kentucky. First pitch for Friday's series opener is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex in Highland Heights, Ky.
